IWM Duxford Summer Air Show
This year, IWM Duxford marked the 250th anniversary of American Independence with its Summer Air Show. The event moved to the 4th-5th July and the flying displays were dominated by types associated with American Air Power from the First World War right through the current day. Within that theme, Duxford hosted a unique and emotional salute to the 100th Bombardment Group (Now the 100th Air Refuelling Wing at RAF Mildenhall) together with an exciting line-up of historic aircraft from overseas operators.
Paul Johnson/Flightline UK reports. All photography by the author.
The Imperial War Museum Duxford’s Summer Air Show is always an eclectic event with a very varied flying programme coupled with a festival vibe to its ground entertainment. That was no different for 2026 but there was much more of an ‘Americana’ feel to the event. This was to mark the 250th Anniversary of American Independence, a theme that fits perfectly with Duxford’s and the local area’s strong ties to the United States forged through military air power past and present.
Augmenting the aviation entertainment was a host of ground shows including live music on the periphery of the old hangar base, re-enactors and exhibitions from various associations. The Cambridge-based British Antarctic Survey had one of the standout ground exhibits with one of its de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters displayed alongside a variety of the equipment the organisation uses on its exhibitions to the far-south. The aircraft was also displayed with a sampling probe and BAS pilots and scientists were on hand to explains the various task they and their aircraft perform flying over Antarctica.
The flying displays for the Summer Air Show were typically very varied with civilian and military display teams flying alongside the historic aircraft more closely associated with Duxford. One of the biggest draws for the audience was the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 solo display flown by Flt Lt Tom Nation. During Sunday’s display, Tom gave an incredibly noisy account of the Typhoon with the humid conditions producing plenty of flash condensation over the aircraft wings. Sadly, Tom was forced to abandon his display on the Saturday after just one pass due to an aircraft fault.
Other airshow favourites in the programme included Rich Goodwin with his Jet Pitts and the Aerosuperbatics Wingwalkers. The latter had a major presence at the show with a promotional stand selling merchandise and promoting their wingwalking experiences. In the air, Dave Barrell, Brian Cornes, Kirsten Pobjoy and Emma Broadbent flew a brand routine for 2026 with a more aerobatics opening. The traditional loop remains but is immediately followed by formation barrel rolls before a split into opposition barrel rolls.
A particularly welcome addition to the flying programme were the four Extra 330LX aerobatic aircraft of the Royal Jordanian Falcons. The team is marking its 50th Anniversary in 2026 and was appearing at Duxford as part of the team’s annual European tour. Incredibly, in those 50 years the team had never appeared at Duxford making this their debut at the Cambridgeshire airfield. It is a venue that certainly suits their display which drew well deserved applause from the audience.
The rest of the flying display centred around historic aircraft. Opening the displays on both days was lyrical solo aerobatic display by Paul Bonhomme in Supermarine Spitfire LFIXb MH434 from the Old Flying Machine Company. On Saturday’s display, this provided some flying action while the first of the weekend’s signature moments was put together, a unique and perhaps one-off salute to the personnel of the 100th Bombardment Group. For this occasion, Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress ‘Sally-B’ gained the ‘D’ in a square tail marking that signified aircraft from the 100th BG. During the Second World War, the 100th BG became known as the “Bloody Hundredth” when based at RAF Thorpe Abbotts in Norfolk as part of the Eighth Air Force for the severe losses they incurred on bombing raids over occupied Europe. Today, the unit is still based in the UK as the 100th Air Refuelling Wing operating out of RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk. The signature moment saw the B-17G Flying Fortress fly a slow overtake underneath a 100th ARW Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker. They passed just as they reached the centre of Duxford before gently parting for each aircrafts solo appearance. It was a very special moment, not only for Duxford but also the personnel of 100th ARW who still proudly display the letter ‘D’ on the tails of their aircraft,
Much of the display was taken up by an extended ‘Asian Scenario.’ The United States armed forces were engaged in two major conflicts in Asia during the 20th Century, namely he Korean and Vietnam wars. Much of the ‘scenario’ looked at the observation and forward air control aircraft used in those conflicts. It started with a slightly left-field set piece with three Piper L4 Grasshoppers and the Commemorative Air Force French Wing’s Piper J3C-65 Cub flying a routine highlighting the role of aerial observation in directing ground fire. It was left-field as the little Piper aircraft did not take part in Asian conflict with the US, but were included to represent the single engine observation aircraft that were used in Korea and Vietnam such as the O-1 Bird Dog. Particularly eye-catching was the French Cub which is painted to represent as US Navy NE-1 Cub and known as ‘The Little Blue Cloud.’ This aircraft and its crew and taking part in a short tour of UK shows this summer which will see further appearances at Duxford, RAF Marham and Old Buckenham.
The Asian theme then moved on to more potent types. Another of the international debutants were Patrulla Quijote from Spain flying a pair of Cessna C337G Skymasters. The team come from Fundación Aeronáutica Antonio Quintana based near Madrid and their aircraft are Ex-Portuguese Air Force. They have been restored to represent United States Air Force O-2 Skymasters of the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron during the Vietnam conflict. They flew a very pleasing routine in formation together with synchronised passes utilising the aircraft’s smoke system which was used for marking targets during operations. The ‘Forward Air Control’ flying was concluded by perhaps the ultimate aircraft to perform the role, the North American OV-10B Bronco brilliantly flown as ever by Tony de Bruyn.
The star of the Asian theme was not an American aircraft at all, but rather one of the most significant adversaries the Americans faced during the Vietnam War. This was the PZL-Mielec Lim-5 Fresco-C from FUBAR Aviation in Poland making just its second UK appearance since it returned to flight earlier this year. This is a Polish licence-built version of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F which changed US fighter tactics forever during the Vietnam War instilling a requirement for light, more agile jets that could still carry a gun for dogfighting. The aircraft was flown by Mateusz Strama through a series of curved passes along the Duxford crowdline with the aircraft lively reheat flame often trailing behind.
Yet another international highlight was the four outstandingly presented warbirds from the Austrian based Flying Bulls. These consisted by the North American B-25J Mitchell flown by Frederic Handellmann and Ciara McGurk, Miguel Hochleitner flying the Chance-Vought F-4U Corsair, Eric Goujon at the controls of the North American P-51D Mustang ‘Nooky Booky IV’ and finally Eskil Amdal piloting the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. Saturday saw the full four-ship display of tight formation passes ahead of a solo display by B-25 and some stunning formation aerobatics from the fighters. Sunday saw a slightly reduced routine as Eskil Amdal departed earlier in the day with the P-38 for the epic transit flight to the EAA Airventure Airshow at Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The American contribution to the First World War was also not forgotten with the return of the Great War Display Team. On Sunday they full at full strength with three Fokker Dr1 replicas, the Neiuport 17 and three RAF SE5as. When America joined the 1914-18 conflict, they took on European aircraft with their pilots finding success with the Neiuport as part of the French ‘La Fayette’ Squadron as well as the SE5a which was taken on by the US Army Air Corps alongside various marks of SPAD fighters.
Perhaps the most famous of all US built aircraft is the Douglas DC-3 which was taken on by many military air arms during and after the Second World War. Two examples featured in the display. First was the Douglas Dakota III from the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight which on Saturday performed a solo routine and on Sunday was joined by Supermarine Spitfire Vb AB910 and Hawker Hurricane IIc. However, perhaps more eye-catching and looked that much more American was Richard Martin’s Douglas C-41A. Built in 1939, this one-off aircraft was the second ever military version of Douglas’ airliner and served as a VIP transport aircraft having been requisitioned by US Army Major General Henry ‘Hap’ Arnold. It is no stranger to UK skies having flown in major D-Day Anniversary commemorations, most recently in 2019. After that commemoration it stayed in the UK and was purchased by Richard Martin who has put the aircraft through a thorough refurbishment at Coventry. It is now based an Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport in the Midlands.
The flying displays were brought to a close in style by six of Duxford’s airworthy warbirds. The first half was presented by the Aircraft Restoration Company with a combat scenario including the Supermarine Spitfire PRXI, Hispano HA1112-M1L Buchon and North American P-51D Mustang ‘Tall in the Saddle.’ The Spitfire PRXI was making its first UK appearance since returning from an epic trip to New Zealand to perform at the famous Warbirds over Wanaka airshow. Piloted by Stu Goldspink, it flew to represent the Spitfire PRXI operated by the USAAF during the second world war. It was intercepted by Jon Gowdy in the Buchon who saw off the unarmed Spitfire before succumbing to the guns of the P-51D Mustang piloted by Paul Bonhomme.
The final three aircraft came from the Fighter Collection and Fighter Aviation Engineering and were American produced fighters powered by radial engines – the Grumman FM-2 Wildcat piloted by Rolf Meum, Dave Puleston in the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt and Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat flown by Nick Grey. After a single formation pass, the aircraft each performed solo displays with first the Wildcat followed by the Thunderbolt and then a really punchy solo display by the Bearcat to close the flying.
Like other major UK shows this year, the Summer Air Show suffered more than its fair share of cancellations in the day leading up to the show. However, this was still an exceptional event, perhaps one of the best Duxford Summer Air Shows of recent times with a genuinely exciting line-up of aircraft and displays, some of which had never been seen in the UK before.
